Lion and the Wolf
by Winter Oak
Summary: He was his childhood friend and she was the woman that he wanted to grow alongside with for the rest of his life. If they found happiness together then he had to smile for them. But what if they weren't the perfect pair he had imagined them to be?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

* * *

Rod scratched his cheek as he glanced over at the beaming farmer who was chattering away with Dunhill and Kosaboro. As always, Rio was animated –perhaps more so today after winning the festival— waving her arms dramatically while talking despite the chilly air that made most of the villagers keep their hands in their pockets. He could see Dunhill laughing, pride or a similar emotion shining in his eyes. Rod could feel a smile of his own form on his lips. As a friend, he couldn't help but feel happy for her. Well, he supposed that it could be that he had the tendency to mimic the emotions others around him felt but he believed that he was drawn to Rio in particular. Maybe it was because she radiated positivity, her smiles seemingly promising things will continue to get better. He wouldn't mind seeing her smile like that for him every day but… The blond glanced over at the bespectacled stylist standing across from him –pride, and another emotion Rod couldn't distinguish reflected in his eyes as he discussed the results of the festival with Neil. Her heart didn't belong to him.

Initially, coming to terms with the two being a pair left him with emotions that he was ashamed to have felt. One was a person he had looked up to while growing up and the other, a person who had earned his respect and admiration after he moved into Echo Village. When placed in the position he was in, he could only make himself feel happy for both of his closest friends. That he was still mulling over this revealed he hadn't let go but he could only shove those thoughts aside. They were the perfect pair and that was that. The male clasped his hands behind his head and grinned over at the blond animal dealer standing beside him. As usual, it appeared that the animal dealer was brooding over something unpleasant. "Hey, Neil, what's with that look? Don't you feel even slightly excited that it's now back-to-back wins in the advanced class?"

"Hmph, I'm just glad that she's taking good care of her animals," the animal dealer replied as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his dark red jacket. His lack of reaction was disappointing but Rod suspected that Neil was happy for Rio as well because the animal dealer cared enough to chat with Rio after each competitive festival, sometimes giving her pointers (if it was an animal festival) and other times encouraging her to do better in his weird, grumpy way. Seeing the knowing smile on Rod's face, Neil closed his garnet eyes and grumbled, "Ugh… stop that."

Rod's smile only grew wider but the pet shop owner didn't voice his thoughts. Neil had always reminded him of a dog that had been mistreated in the past: he would snap at anyone that tried to approach him even if they meant well. However, unlike most dogs, he largely acted the same way towards those that have earned his trust. It made things complicated but he hoped that Neil would be able to interact with others in a friendlier manner some day. The blond snapped out of his thoughts when a certain farmer came bounding up to the group. "Hey, congratulations, Rio!" Rod enthusiastically greeted her. Beside him, Neil muttered his own congratulations.

"Thanks," the blonde responded, clasping her hands behind her back. She turned to her boyfriend, her smile becoming slightly shyer. Though instead of the smile everyone was expecting to see on Allen's face, the stylist expression was one of disapproval.

Arms crossed over his chest, the redhead said, "Hey. Stop grinning so happily just because you won. Other guys are watching you." The stylist's voice wasn't harsh, the words sounding more like an irritated reminder but Allen seldom spoke harshly unless he was really angry; he was a person that was able to convey his meaning well enough without needing to raise his voice.

The pet shop owner averted his gaze from the couple, hoping that the stylist wasn't referring to him specifically when he mentioned other guys watching. It wasn't that weird, was it? Rio had won after all so naturally, attention would be focused on her. However, an embarrassed flush rose to his cheeks as he realized that he had been smiling goofily at Rio when Allen was standing across from him the entire time. He didn't mean it like that… at least… not really. He still liked Rio, yes, but those feelings didn't just disappear overnight. Gaze straying back to the couple, he watched the farmer smile at Allen while asking if he was jealous.

The stylist's frown deepened. "Jealous? Who, me? Don't be silly. You're my girlfriend so be quiet and do as I say, got it? What do you have to say?"

Rod was taken aback by the words, both eyebrows arched in surprise. He watched as Rio lowered her head to hide her faltering smile while her brows were knit in confusion. Admittedly, Rod didn't know what to think as well. Allen may be insensitive and condescending at times but this… this was different from how he usually was. And he was saying this to Rio too –the farmer that had nearly singlehandedly rebuilt this town. There was no way that such a capable and independent woman would bow down and obey an order to not smile happily after winning a festival. He was half-expecting Rio to snap angrily back at Allen but he also knew her kind nature wouldn't allow her to do so. Then, to Rod's surprise, the blonde raised her head to meet Allen's gaze and nodded.

Allen's usual satisfied smile returned, illuminating his graceful features. "… Good. Good girl. I should be the only one you smile at that way."

An unsettling feeling nipped at Rod, momentarily breaking his focus on the conversation. It felt as if he had eaten something sour, causing his insides to tingle unpleasantly. Was he feeling jealousy again or was there something else that was nagging at him? Rod turned to look at Neil. Judging by the deeper than usual frown on the animal dealer's face as his gaze followed Rio's retreating form, Rod was not the only person that thought something was off with what had just occurred.

* * *

**Author's Note**: It's been a while since I've written a long story but I was inspired after playing A New Beginning. The first three chapters will be on the short side because I think it works better that way. Just bear with it for a bit.

Also, for those of you wondering, Allen's words in the story is actual in-game dialogue if the player is dating him and wins an animal or crop festival in the advanced class. There are a few variations, with slight word changes in each of them, but this is one of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

* * *

_The unbroken surface of white seemed to glitter as the snow scattered the sunlight raining down on the area. Despite the presence of the sun glowing above, the air was chilly enough for Rod to be able to see his breath. The pet shop owner knew that it would only grow colder as the season dragged on but for now, he just wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Grinning, the male glanced at the panting farmer trailing slightly after him and slowed his pace. "What's up, Rio? Are you worn out? Do you need a break?" _

_ Stopping and placing her hands on her knees, Rio gazed up at Rod with clear blue eyes. The curve of her lips showed only determination as she called back, "We're so close. I'm okay!" _

_The pet shop owner had to resist bounding excitedly ahead when he heard her response. She had reassured him that she was fine but now that he paused to think about it, asking her out on a picnic at the mountain top right after she had finished her farm work might not have been the best idea. Instead, the blond forced himself to wait for his friend to catch up and kept it in his mind to match her pace. His tone was encouraging as he said, "Let's press on, then. Just a little more and we'll be there, Rio! It'll be worth it." _

_ His companion pulled on her red scarf to loosen it and nodded her head. As he gazed up along the path, the male took in the beauty of the scenery. He had been made breathless during his first winter here and still appreciated the beauty of the mountain now that winter had come around again. The bright blue sky contrasted vividly against the white snow when they reached the mountain top. Breathing in deeply, Rod savored the feeling of the crisp air in his lungs. Turning to his friend, Rod announced. "We made it! Great work, Rio." _

_His friend shook her head, currently too busy catching her breath to respond. Hands pressing against her knees, the farmer stared down at the ground in front of her. When Rio finally recovered, she found a plate of foil wrapped baked potatoes sitting on the middle of the basket while two thermoses sat on the spot opposite of Rod. The pet shop owner was already holding a cup of hot chocolate in his hands, steam curling upwards from the liquid's surface. Beside him was another, unopened thermos. _

_Sitting down across from Rod, she opened her container to find steaming stew. She gave the food a sniff and arched an eyebrow. Seeing her reaction, Rod protested, "Hey, that's not a very nice reaction. I live alone, so I cook! I cook pretty well! I've got confidence in today's spread, too." Of course, he had tried the food numerous times before inviting Rio out so he knew that it was at least a pass. _

_A smiled tugged on her lips. "Of course." _

_Her smile only widened after trying the dish and Rod felt pride (and some relief) fill him. Now that he was sitting alone with the farmer, emotions other than triumph in making it to the top of the mountain filled him. For the past two seasons, his heart felt that it would beat out of his chest whenever she was near and it was becoming unbearable to leave things as it was. His cheeks warmed and before he knew it, he was babbling to fill the silence. "I knew that you'd like it! I'd make a pretty good homemaker, don't you think? I think having a boyfriend like me would really help you out, Rio." _

_His female companion stared at him in surprise. The male's carefree expression became serious as he held his tongue to wait for her answer. The silence between them dragged on and Rod was about to say he was joking when Rio spoke first. "It would be nice to have a boyfriend that could cook for me but…" Rio smiled softly as she clasped her hands in front of her. "I can cook well enough myself." _

_The pet shop owner awkwardly scratched his cheek. Fair enough. She could take care of herself. But he could do more than just cook. Smiling cheerfully, Rod asked, "So what do you want in a boyfriend?"_

_The female gazed down at the stew, her smile fading. For a moment, he thought that she wouldn't answer. The farmer was an excellent listener and could get many to go on and on about themselves but it was a completely different matter when it came to talking about herself. Leaning forward, the male encouragingly said, "I promise I won't tell." _

_His eyes held hers for a few seconds before she answered, her words coming out slowly as if she were thinking carefully. "What I want… is a man that would continually push me to do better. Someone who is sure of himself, and is able to be honest with me and call me out when I do wrong so that I can grow to be a better person." As she continued to speak, the words seemed to flow out more easily. Her lips were curved into a shy smile when she finished, her gaze distant as if she were thinking of a person. _

_Rod felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. He wasn't quite like the man Rio described at the moment but he could see the two of them growing to be better together. So long as Rio didn't have a boyfriend, he still had a chance to show her that he would be a great guy to have by her side. "D-do you already have someone in mind?" His heart was thumping loudly and his body was tense because of his nervousness. The awaited answer meant a lot to him –more than it should for a male that hadn't been actively pursuing her but Rod was determined to change that soon. He was slightly afraid of the answer she would give but now that they were on this topic, there was no point in holding back. _

_As if not really seeing him, Rio murmured, "I really like Allen."_

* * *

"Hey, what's up with you today?"

Rod tore his gaze away from the cloudy sky and turned to look at Neil. The blond animal dealer was resting a hand on a large cow as garnet eyes rested on Rod. When the pet shop owner looked at him in confusion, the male muttered, "Not that I care, but you're usually more talkative."

Rod shifted his weight on the fence he was sitting on, inadvertently shaking off clumps of snow stuck to the wood. Casting his gaze over the large clearing, he saw that Neil had finished brushing all the animals he cared for. He must have been in a daze for a while. Rubbing the back of his neck, Rod tried to piece together what was bothering him. The two people that he admired the most were together. Rio had found the one that would push her to grow and Allen had found the one that he considered to be at his level. They would both push one another forward and the distance between them and him would continue to grow. Rod ignored the tight feeling in his throat at the thought. No matter how he looked at it, Rio and Allen were the perfect pair. So then... he shouldn't be feeling this way, should he? Giving in, Rod asked, "Is it normal for couples to act like that?"

The animal dealer didn't send him a confused look, knowing which couple and what behavior Rod was referring to without asking. Running his gently hand along the side of the cow, Neil answered in a quiet voice, "It's not."

Rod frowned. He didn't like how Neil answered that so quickly. "Why do you say that?" He didn't think either of them were experts when it came to dating but he couldn't talk to Allen about this either… at least, not until he knew what he was talking about.

Neil remained silent for a moment, his gaze focused on the cow beside him. At last, he reasoned, "Well… your parents didn't act like that, did they?"

His parents? Rod tilted his head back, hands braced against the fence railing to prevent himself from toppling over. He had been too absorbed in his own world and his own problems to take note of what his parents did. He remembered them encouraging him at each new task he faced, comforting him when he hurt himself and laughing with him when he was happy but nothing beyond that. The male was now thinking aloud, hoping Neil could figure out the point he was trying to make amidst the whirlpool of thoughts crossing his mind. "I didn't pay that much attention to them when I was younger. I mean, stuff like that wasn't interesting and I just focused on my own stuff. Besides, I think they only talked about adult stuff away from me. So, no, I don't know if they acted like that around each other or not."

Neil sighed. "Fine, do you see Camelia and Charles acting like that?"

Once again, Rod had to pause and think. He played with Hina from time to time and had thus had spoken with her parents but he could count the conversations that he had with them on one hand. Furthermore, the content of those conversations consisted of the two gushing over how cute Hina was, which didn't contribute much to what Rod was looking for. He was feeling slightly embarrassed as he admitted, "I haven't been paying much attention to them either."

"Just trust me when I say it isn't normal."

Rod furrowed his brow upon hearing the forceful tone. That Neil spoke with such conviction meant that there was something backing his answer. The finality in the other's tone also meant that he didn't want Rod to ask. Likewise, Rod knew better than to ask when his friend acted in such a manner. The conversation was over; Neil wouldn't meet his gaze, instead focusing on the cow he was petting.

There was something sad and vulnerable about the picture –of Neil showing such care only towards animals— and Rod began to suspect that Neil's parents may not have had a normal, loving relationship that he pictured most parents to have. He knew that the animal dealer had run away from home because of his father but other than that, he hadn't gleaned any more information on the topic of the other's family. On the other hand, he could be wrong because… well, he wasn't right that often. He hoped he was wrong in this case.

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, Neil turned away and announced, "I'm done here. We can leave." The pet shop owner held his tongue despite wanting to ask what was going through his friend's mind. Neil would only snap at him if he dug any deeper. Maybe someday, Neil would tell him. Realizing that the older blond was leaving him behind, Rod jumped off the fence and whistled for his dog to round up the cattle.

The ride back home was silent, with neither speaking to the other through the majority of the trip. For Neil, it was because he didn't often speak unless he was spoken too. For Rod, it was because he was too busy thinking about whether or not he should speak to Rio or Allen. He took Neil's word for it when the other insisted that the interaction was not normal but just because Rio and Allen's relationship wasn't normal didn't necessarily mean that it was bad, did it? He looked up to the two, trusted the two, and believed that the decisions they made were well thought and informed. The male's grip on the large dog sitting on his lap tightened. But even if he didn't listen to his instincts, Neil's dark expression when he had firmly stated the relationship wasn't normal was enough to tell him what he didn't want to admit.

Baron looked up at the pet shop owner, twisting his head to lick Rod's face. Rod smiled, pulling his companion closer to him. Even if he did visit Rio or Allen, what could he say? It was easier speaking with his childhood friend but Allen would likely discard the issues Rod brought up. Rio didn't like discussing her personal matters normally and would surely be less than forthcoming in this case. The blond closed his eyes for a moment to compare his options. The least he could do, as a friend, was check up on her, right? It should be a simple task but his stomach was clenching uncomfortably. He felt even more nervous than when he had asked the farmer out on a picnic a few weeks previously. Turning to look at his friend, he asked, "Do you want to visit Rio with me?" Rod knew he was avoiding facing Rio alone to discuss a situation that wasn't positive but Neil was Rio's friend as well so he had to be worried about her too.

Eyes still on the road, Neil answered, "I'm not good at stuff like that. You'll be fine on your own."

"But you're her friend too!" Rod protested. As friends, they should support one another. He knew Rio took the time to listen to Neil when he was bothered so he didn't understand why the animal dealer refused to do the same. "Come on, Neil."

The blond pressed his foot on the break, drawing the truck to a gentle stop as they arrived at their destination. Hands still gripping the steering wheel, Neil slowly asked, "What use would it be if I stood in her house watching the two of you talk?"

"But you won't. I'm sure you'll have something valuable to add to the conversation!"

"Well, I don't." Unbuckling his seatbelt, Neil opened the door and got off the truck to unload the animals. "If you insist on continuing on the topic of Rio and her relationship, go find her –I don't need your help." With that said, the animal dealer pushed the vehicle door shut, leaving Rod alone in the cab.

The dog in his arms whined, gazing up at Rod with wide eyes. "I don't know what's up with Neil either," he confessed with a small smile. Neil knew more about this topic than he did so why would he say that he wouldn't have anything valuable to add to the conversation? Was it because he tended to talk too much so that Neil didn't have much opportunity to speak? If it was though, Neil had never complained about it before and the other wasn't usually hesitant in letting others know when he was displeased with something. But at this point, asking Neil about it wouldn't yield productive results. The male reached down to unbuckle his seatbelt. "Let's go see Rio then."

Getting off the truck, Rod gazed back at the animal dealer who paid him no mind. His friend wasn't going to go along with him. He set Baron down on the ground and set off towards the village, with the pug slowly ambling him. It was late afternoon and he wasn't sure where to find the farmer; since she started dating Allen, the schedule that he had known her to follow on most days had changed to adapt to more time spent with her new boyfriend. With that in mind, Rod chose to head into town rather than venturing up the mountain to search for Rio, who would have been foraging at this time had she followed her former routine.

Stuffing his hands into his vest pocket and staring at the snow covered ground, the blond tried not to frown. The town was continually changing and he welcomed it but… why did Rio have to change as well? Admittedly, Rio was still Rio but she had less time for him and her other friends since dating Allen. He knew he was being childish again. Rio had every right to spend time with her boyfriend. It was natural and from what little interaction between the two he had seen, it made her happy. "Stop it," the male muttered to himself. His behavior was pathetic and he knew that.

If Allen were with him, the redhead would have told him to be more of a man. It was a bittersweet thought. He couldn't talk to his child friend about this problem like he normally could. Even now, he didn't know or have the courage to ask if Allen knew about his feelings for Rio. He had been acting as if everything was normal around the stylist but he had been told numerous times in the past that he was incredibly easy to read.

The male stopped when he entered the east side of town. A few villagers were strolling around, making the most of the remainder of the short day but he couldn't spot Rio or Allen. The stress weighing down on him lessened even though he shouldn't be glad about the delaying his objective of checking up on Rio. It would be easier to talk to Rio when she was alone and at home but Rod couldn't help but think that he wasn't acting as a true friend should. Even after so long… he was still the same no matter how much he wanted to change. He still dreaded situations that required him to get involved in conflict. He still could never hold his stance. He was still afraid of being hurt when he moved out of his comfort zone. The blond closed his eyes. He had been too afraid to make change. And because of that, he couldn't be a good friend.

Because of that, he had lost Rio to his best friend.

Stuffing his chilled hands into his pockets, Rod followed the dirt path to head back home. Change was like walking up a river. It was easier to not move through the resisting waters into unfamiliar and potentially dangerous territory –to not change. Even if you did have the determination and inner strength to move forward, one can easily be pushed back. In his case, he lacked both the confidence and resilience to move out of where he was. He kept talking about how he wanted to change certain aspects of himself and knew of his weaknesses but when he stepped back and looked at himself year after year, he was still pretty much the child he was back then. Rod rubbed his nose. At least he wasn't a crybaby anymore.

Suddenly hearing Baron's barks, Rod pulled himself out of his thoughts to find the dog no longer following him. The blond turned around to face the direction the barks were coming from, gaze moving along the brick paving in front of the restaurant to find Baron under one of the two tables in the outside dining area. A hand reached down to rub the dog's ears and the pug leaned against the hand. There were only a few people in the village that his dog would react to in such a way. Raising his head, the blond found himself facing the two people he had been thinking of all day but wasn't quite keen on facing… especially together.

"Hey, Rod," Allen greeted casually, hand still occupied with Baron. Rio echoed the greeting, her voice more reflective of her happy mood than the stylist. A half eaten slice of pumpkin pie sat in front of Allen and an untouched shortcake in front of the farmer sitting beside him. They were obviously out on a date, making Rod hesitant in approaching the two. Nonetheless, he slowly made his way over to the pair because there didn't seem to be another good option in this situation.

"Sorry for interrupting you two." The blond's gaze shifted from Allen to Rio. The two looked quite content in each other's presence. The farmer's body was angled slightly towards Allen, revealing how comfortable she was around the redhead, while the stylist was wearing a smile that Rod hadn't seen before. He knew the stylist had been with many women but it seemed he was entirely serious with Rio. Allen had even taken time out of his work day to spend time with the farmer.

"Don't worry about it," Rio replied, giving him a sincere smile that showed that she really didn't mind the interruption. The female shifted in her chair so that she was now facing Rod.

Allen also shrugged, straightening after finishing greeting Baron. Smirking, he said, "If it's Baron, then I don't mind."

Unconsciously falling into their usual way of interacting with one another, Rod pouted. "Hey, what about me?"

"Hm? What about you?" he asked lightly as he turned away from Rod to continue eating his pie.

"Ah, that's mean, Allen." Despite the words that came from Allen's lips, Rod knew the stylist did not mean them. The other often teased him, saying things that he obviously didn't mean but coming to Rod's defense whenever others said the same things to Rod. He didn't know if it was because they were childhood friends, but Allen would always set aside time for him whenever Rod sought him out whereas telling others to not interrupt him while he was enjoying his private time if they were to do the same. But perhaps that will change now that he had a girlfriend.

Their exchange was so normal that Rod almost forgot that he was worried about Allen knowing about his feelings for Rio. When the thought surfaced, the pet shop owner wondered if Allen was being serious about wanting him to leave after all. He couldn't detect anything different in the way the bespectacled male was treating him and Allen was blunt so if he was upset, he would let Rod know without hesitation. He had to be worrying over nothing. Despite settling on that conclusion, the blond couldn't quite believe that his friend didn't suspect anything either.

"Is something bothering you?"

Rio's voice broke through his thoughts and he smiled reassuringly over at her. He didn't want to lie to her but he didn't want to worry her either. But asking her the question he originally intended to pose wouldn't end well with Allen sitting right there. And now that Allen was sitting right there, the idea of asking Rio if she was happy with her boyfriend behind his friend's back felt wrong to Rod. "Well… in truth…"

Rod breathed in deeply, trying to find the right words. His eyes settled on the couple, both looking expectantly at him. And in the end, he couldn't ask the question.

The blond averted his gaze and cleared his throat. "Never mind." Knowing Rio's personality, he expected her to follow up with questions or words of encouragement leading Rod to reveal what was bothering him. If Allen felt the matter was pressing enough, he could easily work the answer out of him as well. As such, Rod changed the topic, blurting out the first relevant thought that came to mind. "The two of you look happy together." New couples loved to talk about themselves, right?

Rio's smile was almost giddy as she turned her head to look at the stylist –her expression the perfect portrayal of a love stricken individual. "I'm very happy."

A pleased smile spread across Allen's face. "Of course. I know how to treat my woman."

Rod's throat clenched uncomfortably as he watched the two and he wished that he hadn't steered the conversation in this direction.

"Hey, princess, you haven't eaten your cake," Allen commented, noticing the untouched dessert. He smiled, a knowing look in his eyes, as he held out a forkful of pie to his girlfriend. "You want me to share mine with you, don't you?" Though she didn't lean forward to accept the food out of embarrassment, Rod could see affection and happiness underneath her flushed cheeks and the glowing smile that reached to her eyes. He had never seen her look like that before and the sight made his chest clench.

"I-I should go." The blond couldn't force himself to say any more before turning around. They were happy and there was nothing to worry about. His stomach burned unpleasantly. He was happy for them. The flames spread across his chest, making it difficult to breathe. Really happy. Rod bit down hard on his lip. If he repeated that enough times to himself, it'll become true, right?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

_He was crying again. _

_ Even though he had promised himself he would stop crying at the littlest things, why couldn't he stop these tears? Rod furiously brushed his cheeks with the back of his arm. Despite yelling at himself to stop the tears, they continued to pour. It was a simple thing. Why couldn't he do this? Stop it. Stop crying, stupid. _

_ "What a wimp."_

_ The words cut into the blond and his determination to stop crying crumbled. Suppressed sobs transformed into loud bawling. Laughter rung in his ears and as much as he wanted to run, like a petrified mouse cornered by a cat, the blond could not move his feet and break away from the corner he was trapped in._

_ "Bullying others makes the two of you pretty pathetic as well." _

_ The laughter stopped. The two girls that had cornered Rod turned around, arms crossed over their chest. There was a moment of silence before the taller of the girls spoke, "He lost fair and square, Allen. We only took what is ours." _

_ "If he didn't agree to our rules, he should have said so from the start," chimed her companion. _

_ They glared at one another, with Rod's sobs filling the silence. After a moment, the girl huffed, "Whatever. We're done here." With their scornful voices still ringing in his ears like an echo that refused to fade away, Rod's playmates walked away. _

_ Once the girls were out of sight, the redhead approached Rod and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze. The older of the two didn't ask anything: didn't need to hear that the girls had twisted the rules of the game to their advantage and didn't need to hear that Rod had been too weak to stand up to them each time they cheated. Raising his head, Rod focused his blurry vision on the redhead and then pulled his friend into a hug, apologies for bothering him and words of thanks clumsily rolling off his tongue in waves. Rod allowed everything else to melt away, the ugly echoes dissipating, only knowing the warmth and sturdiness of Allen's body. The redhead didn't pull away, his head held high even as those passing by stared, and when Rod had finally recollected himself, he merely complained about the other getting his shirt wet and ordered him to stop being such a pushover._

* * *

It took a moment for Rod's blurry vision to focus after he opened his eyes. Breathing in slowly, the male waited for the remnants of the dream –the memory—to fade away. The blond crinkled his nose, displeased with how he was still reacting.

He hadn't grown after all…

The darkness shrouding the house slowly faded away, dissipated by the thin streams of light that seeoed in from behind the curtains. Rod rolled over in his bed so that he was facing away from the window, thankful that he didn't have to work today since he didn't feel like getting up any time soon. Staying home all day like yesterday didn't sound too bad. He closed his eyes and pulled the comforter closer to his body as he avoided thinking about why he didn't want to get up. This was for the best. For Allen, for Rio… but mostly for himself. As much as he wanted to forget his feelings for Rio, he found that he hadn't made any progress towards that goal at all. So until he could sort out how to handle his feelings, he would very much prefer to not see the two. And since he lived in such a small village, the best way to achieve that was stay at home.

Unfortunately, it seemed Baron disagreed with the plan. Rod grasped his comforter when he realized that it was slowly being pulled away but the smooth material slipped out of his grasp. "Hey, you may not be cold, Baron, but I am!" the blond protested, raising his head and glaring at the creature. Ignoring his complaints, the pug dragged the comforter to the other side of the room. Turning to the human, the dog wagged his tail and opened his mouth to form something that looked very similar to a mocking smile. Groaning at the sight, Rod laid his head back down on the pillow. Knowing the other, it was unlikely that he was going to get the blanket back unless he got out of bed. And if he did that, getting comfortable again on the bed was a next to impossible.

Rod frowned and wrapped his arms around his pillow. It was days like these when if felt like the entire world was against him. He pressed his face into the pillow, wanting to drown out everything around him. However a tickling sensation on his foot quickly drew Rod back into the present. The male pulled his drool-covered foot away from the edge of the bed and raised his head to look at his pet. The angry protest on his lips died down upon seeing the cute lopsided smile the dog was giving him. Rod couldn't help but feel bad. The resentful and angry ache he was feeling faded into a sad pain instead. He didn't even want to see two of his closest friends and they hadn't even done anything wrong. Why couldn't he change his feelings? Was he even working hard to do that?

He had to get up instead of feeling sorry for himself and hiding at home. It was a simple thing. Surely, he could do something like that. Looking at Baron, the blond ceded, grumbling, "Fine. I'm getting up."

The blond filled up the pug's food bowl and Baron quickly trotted over to devour the food as if Rod had been starving him for the past few days. By the time Rod had finished digging around in the fridge for his breakfast the dog had licked his food dish clean and was looking at the pet shop owner with pleading eyes. And as always, he couldn't resist. Closing the fridge door, Rod refilled Baron's bowl and watched as the dog continued to gobble down the food. He suspected that this was the reason why Baron was overweight and while he tried to exercise the pug as often as possible, it apparently wasn't enough. "We need to go out for a walk after this…"

He had to refill his fridge as well so there was no avoiding getting out of the house. Attaching the leash to Baron's collar, Rod led the pug outside. The fresh blanket of snow revealed that it had been a slow morning thus far, with only a few sets of footprints marring the clean snow. It was expected of on a Saturday. The blond started off at a slow pace, not feeling particularly energetic today. Maybe he'll go find Neil later. He hoped that the blond would be in the mood for discussing something fun otherwise he will likely end up staring at a wall for the afternoon.

Baron's barks caught Rod's attention and he raised his head to see a pink-haired woman exiting the grocery store precariously balancing two paper bags in her arms. He easily recognized the woman as the magician that performed at the restaurant. Her carnation-pink hair tied up in twin tails, frilly top hat, and giant bright pink bow on her back that made up her usual outfit was easily recognizable from across the town. Rod couldn't see Michelle's expression behind the bags but she had stopped in her tracks once Baron had started barking. The fawn-colored pug sat at her feet, tail wagging and eyes on the grocery bags. While Baron was friendly with everyone and quick to love strangers, he knew better than touch or jump on strangers without permission.

"Hey, sorry about that," Rod said, approaching the female. "Baron tends to get overenthusiastic at times." Gazing down at the dog who was still gazing at Michelle, the blond wondered if the magician had dog treats or something else on her that had captured the pug's attention.

Tilting a bag of toiletries so that her view wasn't blocked, Michelle's honey-colored eyes settled on Rod's face. She didn't look scared, which was a relief for Rod. "It's no problem. I think dogs are adorable so I don't mind when they approach me." Her eyes flickered downwards, catching a glimpse of the giant dog at her feet. The pleasant smile on her face twitched slightly and her gaze moved back to Rod. "Yes, very cute."

Rod smiled, feeling slightly flustered. "You don't need to say that. I know he needs to lose some weight." Still, he was happy that she was being so kind. Noticing that Michelle had a lot to carry, Rod said, "How about I help you with your groceries?"

The female smiled brightly. "That would be really helpful. Thank you."

As Rod leaned towards her to take the bags, he was enveloped in the scent of vanilla and something really sugary. While he had never smelled a dessert quite like it, the aroma reminded Rod of winter afternoons spent indoors playing while his mom baked in the kitchen. He wasn't fond of many desserts but he didn't find the scent repulsive either. Pulling back, Rod adjusted his grip on the leash and the bags and started walking with Michelle back to her home.

"You're quite the gentleman," the female commented. Her lip gloss-covered lips curved upwards in a cute smile as she looked up at Rod.

The pet shop owner couldn't help but feel flustered by the comment; no one had called him a gentleman before. "It's no problem at all!"

With a satisfied smile, female turned her head away to focus on the path once again. He noticed that her head was held high, her eyes focused in front, and her posture perfectly straight as she walked with strong steps. She reminded him a little of Allen but her way of presenting herself was a little less arrogant. With that said, it was a little confusing as to why the stylist disliked her. Of course, his friend had never said it like that but it could be inferred when Allen had commented to Rod that he should be careful around that kind of woman a week after Michelle had moved in. The pet shop owner wasn't quick to judge and always gave others a chance so he didn't have anything against the magician. Despite that, he had never had the opportunity to get to know her. All he could say so far was that she seemed nice.

"Are you interested in magic, Rod? You really should stop by more often when I'm performing."

"I would like to! …But I have to work on the days you perform." It was only on the occasional rainy day that he was able to visit the restaurant when Michelle performed. Since it didn't rain during the winter, there wouldn't be an opportunity like that until the year was over. It was unfortunate since he really did enjoy seeing her performances. Michelle was good at what she did; she could capture the attention of the audience effortlessly such that everyone in the room had their eyes glued to her when she performed. And then there was the joy of being able to suspend his belief in what was possible and imagine a world where fantastic things existed. Seeing the unhappy look on her face upon hearing his rejection, the blond added, "The shows I have watched were really cool though!"

The female let out a sigh and turned her head away from Rod. "I understand. It would really be nice if you could see my current show though. There just haven't been a lot of customers lately…"

Rod couldn't help but feel bad for her. Business was pretty consistent for him throughout the year (though there were spikes in business when someone new moved in) because regardless of the weather, people still needed to feed their pets. For the performer, he could see how it could be difficult. "Um… maybe I'll see if I can get off work early some time."

The two stopped in front of her distinctive house. Turning around to face him, Michelle gave him a bubbly smile in response to his promise. "You better show up! Thanks for helping me with my groceries."

"It's no problem. Do you want me to bring them into the house for you?" The male lightened his grip on the bags when the pink-haired female reached forward to take them from him after opening the door to her house.

"No, it's fine." Michelle's wondering gaze briefly settled on something over Rod's shoulder before flickering back to the blond. "Well… I'll see you later."

Her abrupt departure left the blond scratching his head in confusion. The blond looked down at Baron who was lying on the ground and panting. "You're tired already?" In response, the pug merely looked cutely at Rod. While that may have worked years ago, it was less effective now. "You're too old to pull off that look! I'm not going to carry you home." Yet he ended up doing so every single time. It seemed that he had been spoiling his companion.

"When did you get a new job?" An arm wound itself around Rod's shoulders and the blond turned his head to find himself face to face with Allen.

Rod blinked in surprise, not hearing the other approach him. The surprise was slowly replaced by a dull aching feeling spread across his chest. But because his friend hadn't done anything wrong, Rod refused to let those feelings show. Smiling, he asked, "What are you talking about?"

The stylist frowned, seemingly oblivious to what was going through Rod's mind. "You were carrying her groceries. I don't understand why you would help her otherwise after I had told you to be careful of her."

Rod shrugged. "She seems nice, Allen."

"Trust me, Rod. I know women and she is the type that you best stay away from." Allen's expression remained neutral but his voice was heavier than usual as he spoke.

The pet shop owner silently examined Allen, not quite understanding what the stylist saw that he didn't. He knew his friend was looking out for his best interests and he had relied on Allen's judgment for so long. They were usually right as well but seeing him with Rio the day before yesterday reminded Rod that they were approaching a period in their lives where everyone was starting their own families. He couldn't rely on Allen forever so even if it meant he would fall down along the road of life, he had to learn how to take care of himself. Or maybe he was just thinking that because he was upset with his friend.

Perhaps seeing the doubt in his eyes, Allen frowned and removed his arm from around Rod's shoulder. "She'll trample over your heart, Rod. Repeatedly."

The blond nervously scratched his cheek upon imagining the brutal image. Still, he had been hurt before –quite recently too—so he knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if she so happened to repeatedly trample over his heart. It seemed unlikely at this point though. Grinning reassuringly at Allen, he revealed, "I'm not interested in her in that way so you don't need to worry."

The stylist pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, taking a moment to think over Rod's words. It appeared that Allen was still worried. Smiling, Rod promised, "I'll be careful. Trust me, okay?"

It was one of the few times that Rod had asked Allen to trust his judgement. That he was asking Allen to trust him in an area that the stylist was more experienced with was a first. After silently analyzing Rod for a moment, Allen sighed. "Suit yourself."

While not particularly happy with Allen's unconvincing response, Rod had to take what he could get. In any case, it was best to change the topic. Glancing around, the blond asked, "Where's Rio?" He hadn't been around the new couple for long but the times he had seen either Allen or Rio, they had been together.

The stylist arched an eyebrow. "She's collecting materials for some blueprints. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just so used to seeing the two of you together nowadays."

"We can't be together all the time."

"I see…" He supposed Allen was right since couples still had their own lives to live. But if he had a girlfriend like Rio, he would want to be with her whenever he had spare time. Even as friends, he wished that he could spend more time around her. Their conversations flowed so easily because she was non-judgemental and a good listener so Rod could go on and on about things he was passionate about. When they weren't talking, he was getting hands-on experience on the farm, playing with his pets, exploring the mountains together, or doing any other activity that came to mind. Rio was just open to different experiences and so the activities they enjoyed together were limitless.

"Why are we having a conversation here? Let's continue at the restaurant."

Rod looked at Allen. Despite everything that had happened, he was still a dear friend. He couldn't avoid him and couldn't put distance between them. Even though he still had romantic feelings for Rio, Rod cared for Allen as well. The blond smiled, "Yeah."

The pet shop owner moved to follow the stylist but was stopped by the dead weight on the other end of the leash. Turning around, Rod spotted his stubborn dog still lying on the ground. "Uh, I'll have to bring Baron back home first." Allen bit back a laugh and walked Rod back to his house while the blond carried his dog all the way.

When they finally arrived at the restaurant, Rod's stomach was growling loudly. Collapsing on the table, Rod mumbled for Allen to order for him. Across from him, the stylist clucked his tongue. "We're at a restaurant, Rod."

The pet shop owner groaned, not wanting to hear Allen criticize his table manners again. "You could have helped me carry Baron then," the blond retorted, not moving to straighten up.

"If you exercised him more, carrying him around wouldn't be such a difficult feat."

Rod frowned. He couldn't really argue against that so the male remained silent while slumped over the table, bemoaning the fact that his friend had the heart to still be so mean when Rod was exhausted. The tapping of heels against the floor stopped by the table and Felicity, the waitress, warmly greeted the two.

"Please excuse Rod's lack of table manners, Felicity."

Rod could hear the swishing of fabric as Felicity moved closer to him. "Oh my, are you okay, Rod?"

At this, the blond quickly sat upright in his chair. He wasn't as embarrassed as he should be because the blonde female was a motherly individual that wouldn't laugh at his expense. She had even ignored Allen's comment on his table manners. Smiling at the waitress, he reassured her that he was fine. Her plum-colored eyes showed confusion for a moment but the female's attention was diverted when Allen stated their order, including Rod's preferred dish. After noting everything down, the waitress left to relay their order to Clement.

Rod turned to Allen, wondering if there was any purpose to the stylist inviting him out for lunch on a weekend when he could be spending that time with his girlfriend. His stomach twisted nervously as he remembered their interaction at the festival. But everything seemed fine the day after when he saw the two. He had dismissed there being any problem in the relationship then but the abruptness of today's invitation made Rod concerned again. "Are things okay with you and Rio?"

"Everything is fine. "Allen's gaze seemed to become slightly more piercing as he silently observed Rod.

Allen thanked Felicity when she brought their drinks and took a sip out of his cup of café mocha. The milk froth on top of the drink swayed slightly as Allen moved the mug but steady hands kept the drink from spilling. Lightly placing the mug back on the saucer, midnight-blue eyes focused on Rod –his gaze not piercing but not quite casual either. His voice sounded nonchalant, as if he were inquiring Rod about his work, when he asked, "How have things been for you? You've been acting odd lately."

The blond felt his throat close up. As much as Rod had tried to act normal around his friend after he started dating Rio, the blond couldn't fool himself or Allen into thinking that he wasn't affected. Rod cleared his throat. He couldn't lie to his friend but telling him the truth was out of the question. The male was unsure of what to say. If he said something too close to the truth, would Allen suspect Rod's feelings towards his girlfriends? Perhaps he already had suspicions. The pet shop owner mentally shook his head. Even if that was the case, it was better for the other to suspect than to know for sure.

The redhead arched an eyebrow, still waiting for an answer.

Rod took in a deep breath, carefully thinking over his words before saying, "Sorry, I don't want to talk about it, Allen."

A small frown formed on the other's face. Eyes still trained on Rod, he noted,"You've changed a lot lately."

"I'm not the only thing that has changed in this village."

The stylist shrugged. "You say that like it's disagreeable."

"You didn't sound happy about me changing either."

"You and the village are separate matters."

Rod unhappily twirled the straw around his glass of mango juice, the ice clinking noisily against cup. He knew that not all change was bad. Even this change seemed like it was for the best. Allen and Rio… together. A strong and capable pair. The entire village seemed to be happy for them.

When Rod didn't respond, Allen continued, "Even if things have changed, I'm still there for you if you need help."

Rod's hand stopped pushing the straw through his drink and the whirlpool slowly settled.

The words resonated inside Rod, stirring up memories of when Allen had been his knight in shining armor. And though the stylist had only said those words a few times before, he had always been there for him. Even after Rod had told the older male that he didn't need his help and that he wanted to be strong on his own, Allen had always been there.

Having a friend that would do that for him meant a lot to Rod. And though it was reassuring to have Allen backing him, Rod didn't want to rely on the other any more –couldn't rely on him any more. He knew he had told himself that millions of times before and didn't know if he was able to keep that vow this time either but he had to try. A small smile formed on his lips. His words sounded stronger than he felt when he said, "I'll try not to worry you too much then."

Allen responded with a smirk. "You better not."

Yes… Allen was his close friend who had looked after him since childhood. He didn't want this precious friendship to fall apart because of something that had come between them. He'll figure out a way. On his own, this time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

_Opening the door, Rod gazed up at the blue autumn sky. It was a cloudless day and perfect weather for exploring his new home. The air was slightly chilly but the cold never bothered him. _

_ Turning around, the male let out a yelp upon finding a certain female at the top of a lamppost that had not been by his house the night before. Her shoes were pressed against the pole and a hand gripped a protruding design near the top while her other hand held a screwdriver. The farmer smiled at Rod and waved with her free hand. "Good morning. How are you today?"_

_ The pet shop owner wasn't sure how to react at the precarious sight. He wasn't the most careful person but seeing someone else –especially a female— in such a dangerous position was a little surprising. He approached the base of the lamp post and called, "Do you need any help?" He knew nothing about installing lampposts but was willing to help in whatever way he could. _

_ While tightening the screws to attach the lantern to the post, Rio shook her head. "I'm fine, thanks." She glanced down at Rod and tilted her head. Perhaps he had looked concerned because she then said, "Don't worry. I've done this many times before." _

_ The words 'many times before' repeated in Rod's mind. Looking across the village and the various amenities scattered about, it was difficult to believe that they were all made from her hands. Yet, the proof was in the village. It was impressive, especially since she looked to be about his age. Dunhill had told him that she had built his house but the fact hadn't really sunk in until now. Rod couldn't help but feel something akin to wonder. "You're incredible. I wouldn't be able to do what you're doing if I were in your position."_

_The female paused, holding the screwdriver in place but not turning it. "I don't think of myself as incredible." The female let out a small laugh. "In truth, I don't really know what I'm doing." _

_Her admission was surprising. How could she not know what she was doing when she had achieved so much? Despite his doubt, Rod recognized the uncertainty that was woven in her voice and in her eyes. However, whereas he had so much difficulty admitting that to others, the farmer was able to say those words so lightly to someone she barely even knew. He wondered what the difference between he and her was. _

_Rio shook her head and adjusted her grip on the lamppost. "But it has to be done so I just do what I can and if it's not enough, I try to do better." _

_She might have been referring to the construction of the various amenities but the blond had a feeling that she was referring to life in general. For the longest time, Rod had felt that he was like a tiny boat lost in the big sea with no idea where to go or how to handle the large waves or sharks that came his way. It was comforting to know that he was not the only one. And if Rio could achieve so much, then he dared to hope that he would be able to do well and find his way somehow__. _

"_Sorry I didn't get this up sooner. I'm really glad that you didn't hurt yourself walking home at night." The female shook the lantern to make sure that it was properly attached to the post. _

_Rod rubbed the back of his neck. "After you built such a nice home, I would feel bad complaining to you." Based on what he knew about her so far, he doubted that she would react badly even if he did complain. He also understood that this area was a new addition to the village and that erecting streetlights in the area was likely far from being the most important matter in her mind. _

_Laughter reached the blond's ears and he looked up to see Rio looking at him with sparkling eyes. "You're refreshingly nice. I'm so glad to have you in town." Putting her screwdriver back into her rucksack, the female held onto the lamppost with both her hands and started making her way down. Despite how she was able to speak without strain in her voice, the male noticed that she looked flushed from exertion. Rod's eyes flickered to the ground, where a line of freshly turned soil trailed away from the lamppost –the electricity to power the post had to come from somewhere. It left Rod wondering how she was able to accomplish all this work in addition to her farm duties. He looked back up at her as she continued to explain her earlier train of thought. "I mean, with just Neil and Allen around, I was starting to feel—" _

_The female exclaimed in surprise as a shoe lost traction against the metal pole. Rod's reflexes kicked in and he moved his arms out to catch the falling farmer. Unfortunately, the male wasn't in the right position to properly absorb the downward force and the two ended up in an undignified pile at the bottom of the lamppost. Rod felt a little bruised but easily determined that he was unharmed. He raised his head to check up on the farmer who slowly pushed herself off his chest. Sapphire-blue eyes met Rod's sky-blue orbs and the pet shop owner could have sworn that his heart had skipped a beat. She gave him an apologetic smile. "Are you alright?"_

"_Y-yeah." _

_Straightening, Rio surveyed the area. Her eyes shone with determination as she declared, "Alright, I might need more practice. How many more lampposts do you think we need?"_

* * *

Rod turned to look at the panting female behind him. "Hey, you're falling behind!"

Doubling over, she held up a hand partially covered by a striped arm warmer. Her other hand was pressed against her thigh to support her upper body as she took a moment to breathe. After taking in a few deep breaths, she shouted, "I've been running around all day, you know!" Despite being tired, it seemed that she still had enough breath to yell at him for being inconsiderate.

That didn't bother the blond though. He enthusiastically called back to her. "Come on, Tina! I know you're tougher than that!" The scene reminded Rod a little of the time he had hiked up the mountain with Rio though if it wasn't originally apparent that they were two different people, it was now. The blond shook his head to clear his thoughts. He wasn't supposed to be thinking of her today.

"Ugh… Rod…" The female dipped her head down, still not moving from her spot. Her hand pulled at her yellow scarf, loosening its grip around her neck. The light snow that had not abated since this morning dusted her hair and shoulders, with some of the snow now sliding off her as she leaned forward.

Feeling bad, Rod started walking back towards her so that they could stop for a break. In truth, he was almost out of breath as well but he had to strain himself to keep his mind busy. Given that Tina had spent the morning delivering letters and newspapers whereas he had been at home resting, he had to admit that his demands might be unreasonable. The pet shop owner opened his mouth to apologize when the female suddenly collapsed, landing face first onto the snowy ground. Rod closed the remaining gap between them at a run. "Tina!"

Everything else that happened afterwards was a blur. Panic had gripped him, making it difficult to think even though the situation wasn't a life threatening emergency. The only logical thought that surfaced was that he had to get the female to Klaus. He couldn't even feel the burning sensation in his muscles and lungs as he carried Tina across the village though he did remember wondering why Rio had to build the clinic so far away. It felt like an eternity had passed when he had brought the still unconscious Tina to the clinic. After answering some questions, Klaus had taken care of the rest.

The journalist was conscious now, her voice drifting over the screen separating the beds from the lobby. He could hear Klaus' stern voice as well. Standing up from the chair Klaus had made him sit on, the blond approached the patient area only to nearly run into the doctor. Klaus' trademark scowl deepened as he looked disapprovingly down at the pet shop owner. His voice was sharp, reminding Rod of a harsh teacher he had once before. "Calm down, Rod. Tina overexerted herself but will be fine after some rest."

"O-okay, thanks!" Purposely slowing his pace so that he wouldn't be reprimanded by Klaus, Rod walked over to the bed Tina was resting on.

The journalist was sitting up, her hands clasped together on her lap. Seeing Rod, she smiled sheepishly. "Hey, Rod. Thanks for bringing me to the clinic." Her voice was scratchy and after she finished speaking, the female cleared her throat.

"I hope you didn't think that I would leave you on the ground." Rod scratched his cheek before moving to fill Tina a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table. He felt bad. If he hadn't pushed Tina, she probably would be fine right now. Rod dipped his head down as he handed her the water with both hands. "Sorry…"

"A-ah, no, it's not your fault." The female accepted the water and rotated the glass of water in her hands as she gazed down into its contents. Her eyebrows were knit in frustration as she spoke. "I… I was actually dieting and wasn't eating enough."

"Eh?" Rod stared at her, lost for words. "Why would you do that?"

Tina blushed, her expression a mixture between embarrassment and exasperation. "Well, what girl doesn't want to look good?"

The blond male leaned back in his chair and tilted his head, trying to process what he had heard. "What's wrong with the way you currently look?" Tina was Tina. He had always thought of her the way she was and there was nothing wrong with what she looked like currently. Besides, from what he had seen, dieting probably did more harm than good.

Her voice was uncertain when she asked, "So you don't think I'm fat?"

Rod was taken aback, not used to seeing this side of Tina. The female was usually so upbeat that it was difficult to imagine that she had issues with her body. Then again, the same could be said for himself. He wasn't exactly secure with his body –he looked younger than he actually was and had difficulty building a toned body. However, his feelings towards his body had changed a little since coming here. Taking a moment to choose his words, Rod said, "If I say I don't, would it change anything?"

"Of course!" The expression on her face was one of conviction but that slowly faded. Despite her answer, there was still insecurity in her eyes. "Well… I would feel better, at least."

For how long? The question was left unsaid. How long would Tina believe his answer before doubting her body again? In actuality, it didn't matter what he thought (he wasn't close to her and his opinion shouldn't be significant to her) –what the world thought— if Tina couldn't accept her body herself.

_Humans are confusing creatures… to be so concerned about the opinions of those we don't care about. _

He remembered mentioning that he wanted to strengthen his muscles to Rio during the Critter Contest, his voice and expression revealing his dissatisfaction with himself. When he had first heard her response, it was as if he had been drawn him out of a dark slumber, making him question why he wanted to conform to the image of what most of the world considered to be the ideal male. He had wanted to be liked by everyone… but everyone in the village already treated him well and that had nothing to do with his appearance. Yes, he wanted to be liked by the world but now that he thought about it, he wasn't zealous about making those he didn't care about like him. So long as he and the people he cared about didn't have issue with who he was, he shouldn't need to spend so much time worrying about making his body more toned. Coming to that conclusion didn't happen overnight and even now, he still felt doubt, but it was change –good change, he believed.

Rio was wrong on one point though. While her words did change his perspective, she was wrong in that she underestimated how much he cared about her opinion. Her opinion was one of the few that he actually cared about.

Now that he thought about it, it was funny how such a person had ended up dating Allen. When he had first met her, the possibility seemed so slim. She found Rod's personality refreshing in comparison to Neil and Allen and was always saying that she was appreciative of how kind he was. At first glance, they were opposites: Allen radiated confidence while Rio was cloaked in modesty, Allen placed high value in appearances while Rio the same practical farm clothes every day, and Allen was only willing to go to lengths for certain people while Rio would do anything for anyone. But he would later discover that Rio and Allen were similar as well: both were perfectionists that held themselves to extremely high standards (when Rio had failed installing the lamppost by herself when she fell onto Rod, she filled the west side of Echo Village with lampposts until she was satisfied with her abilities, and whenever Allen made a simple mistake, he would isolate himself to figure out how not to make the same mistake again), both disliked it when others gave up without really trying, and both were always looking at ways to improve themselves. He didn't notice when their feelings towards one another had changed but then again, they hadn't noticed his feelings either.

Rod dug his nails into the palm of his hands. He wasn't supposed to be thinking about that though. His blue eyes focused on Tina once again.

The female was now leaning forward on her knees, her shoulder length hair curtaining her face. "But when others criticize my body… it hurts."

"It does for me too," Rod said quietly. He could relate since he had heard many hurtful things from others throughout his life. Like a sponge, he had taken all that criticism, absorbing it rather than reflecting it and ending up in tears the majority of the time. This time, he drew wisdom from Allen to address her concern, recalling the insightful words that had cut through the haze surrounding him as he cried behind a building once upon a time. "But it's only because they are confirming your own disapproval, right? If you were confident in yourself, what others say won't matter to you." The words sounded odd coming from him and it showed on the surprised look on Tina's face. However, he was able to say it so smoothly because Rod had repeated those words to himself like a mantra whenever he was teased by others and Allen was not there to defend him. And while he still ended up in tears the majority of the time because he still didn't have confidence in himself, it gave him something to work towards.

"Maybe." Her voice was soft when she spoke. "I grew up in a big family so there were many disagreements and fights. We often said things we didn't mean, but it's hard to ignore opinions when it comes from those that I am close to."

The blond could understand but not completely relate. He had been an only child and his parents had doted on him. He was also lucky in that those he held dear were kind to him. And while Allen did tease him, Rod knew for certain that the other did not mean any cruel things he said. Rod didn't know how to comfort her, other than saying, "Like you said, they didn't mean them. I'm sure everyone in your family loves you."

"Yeah…" Tina didn't sound doubtful but she didn't sound convinced either. It made Rod wonder what was going through her mind. Their conversation was interrupted by Tina's growling stomach. From the embarrassment and hesitation he had seen in her when she explained about the diet, he thought it was best to not comment on it. Then again, they did determine that dieting wasn't going well for her, didn't they? Looking out the window, the pet shop owner saw that the sky was slowly darkening. It was too early for dinner normally but not too early that he couldn't eat a large meal at the moment.

"Hey, if Klaus says you can leave the clinic, how about I take you back to my house so I can cook you dinner?"

The brunette lifted her head and gave him a small smile. "You're surprisingly good at comforting others. Well… Klaus said I can leave when I feel better and I can't turn down free food."

"That's gre— Wait, surprisingly good? What do you mean by that?"

Tina scratched her head. "Ah, well, you just don't look all that good at giving advice."

The pet shop owner couldn't help but pout. "You're really blunt, Tina."

Ignoring his comment, the female got off the bed. "Let's go then." Lowering her voice, Tina continued, "Klaus was really scary when he lectured me on my diet so I don't want to stay here for long."

Rod nervously laughed. "I know what you mean."

The walk to Rod's house wasn't far since he lived on the same part of the village as Klaus. They were silent but it was a comfortable silence that hung between them. Looking up, Rod noticed that the snow still hadn't let up and neither had the cold but thankfully the walk wasn't too far. Pulling the door open, Rod told Tina to make herself at home. Baron raised his head from his spot in the corner furthest away from the window and presumably decided that he wasn't interested in bothering them because he proceeded to stay where he was.

Tina dropped onto a chair with a sigh, having no hesitation in making herself comfortable. It made Rod happy since he didn't have to worry her awkwardly sitting around while he made dinner. Rummaging through his fridge, the male asked, "Is there anything you're allergic too?"

"No, but I really don't like carrots… and turnips… and spinach… and peppers…"

Rod turned to stare at the girl as she thought over what else she didn't like. The items she listed were vegetables that most parents forced their kids to eat while insisting that they were an important part of a balanced diet. He supposed that it was possible to manage without eating those vegetables since there were hundreds of other kinds out there. "So… you don't eat any of those?"

"Pretty much. I know they're healthy but I just don't like them."

Rod grinned and returned to picking ingredients out of the fridge. "I didn't like those when I was young either but my parents told me that I couldn't grow up to be a strong man if I didn't eat them." It may not have mattered to most children, but for Rod, growing up strong was important. He had wanted so badly to grow out of being the child that he was. So in the end, he had forced himself to like or at least have a neutral attitude towards vegetables that were supposedly good for you but tasted horrible. "It didn't really work though."

"You did grow up big and strong though. I mean, you're not short and you did carry me all the way to the clinic."

Rod scratched his cheek, feeling slightly flustered that she thought of him like that. He had never thought of it in that way but she did have a point. "I guess I did, didn't I?" He didn't grow up to be the person he wanted to be but… he didn't turn out so bad either. The thought was warming.

Dinner was finished with no mishaps though he couldn't guarantee the taste of the food. He did cook because he lived alone but preferred eating out at the restaurant when he could. However, Tina made no complaints. In fact, if the pace at which she ate the food was any indication, she found the food really enjoyable.

"Thanks for dinner, Rod." The female was standing by the door, ready to return home.

"It's no problem at all! I should thank you instead for spending the day with me." He had asked her to go hiking with him out of the blue and even after causing her to collapse, she was still here. The day hadn't gone as smoothly as it could have but he had enjoyed it nonetheless. When Tina left, Rod leaned against the closed door and let out a breath. That hadn't been too hard. The days were passing by slowly but bit by bit, he could see himself pulling away from Rio. The pet shop owner leaned his head back against the hard surface of the door and gazed up at the ceiling. "I can do this."

* * *

Snow continued to fall down from the sky, building up on the layer of snow already blanketing the area. Not for the first time today, Rod wished that his vest had a hood on it. The male reached up to brush the snow off his hair as he neared Echo Village after putting away his stall for the day. Stepping into the river area leading into the village, Rod stopped as he spotted Rio sitting on the log that lay slightly off the path in the middle of the area. Her arms were braced against the log and her legs stretched out in front of her while she leaned back to look up at the snowy sky. Rod seldom saw the farmer when she wasn't smiling or moving about in a lively manner so the peaceful expression she was wearing made her look more delicate than usual.

The pet shop owner stayed where he was, finding his legs hesitant to move. After a few more moments, the blond took in a deep breath. Finding it difficult to continue walking was silly –probably a mental barrier created by recent events. And since they were close friends, he couldn't possibly walk past her without saying anything but that should be an easy task to do as well.

The snow muffled the sound of his footsteps as he closed the distance between them. His heart was beating rapidly again despite his mind repeating that they were only just friends and that she was dating Allen. No matter how many times he told himself this though, he couldn't stop his body from reacting the way it was. That this wasn't a good idea only gripped him when he was barely a few feet behind her, making it far too late for him to turn back.

Rio turned her head, her blue eyes connecting with his. The blonde looked surprised and slightly flustered. "H-hey, Rod."

The blond cleared his throat and greeted her back in return. His heart beat still hadn't managed to calm down and had only increased when he sensed Rio's nervousness. How he could have insisted for close to one year that the unfamiliar feelings he experienced around her were those of friendship and that he didn't want to change that relationship felt so idiotic to him now. Forcing his limbs to work, Rod walked around the log so that he was standing in front of her. Stuffing his hands into his pockets and smiling, the blond asked, "How're you doing?"

Her shoulders relaxed and the farmer smiled back. "I'm well."

"What are you doing sitting here?" If she was in the river area, the farmer was usually fishing or foraging so seeing her like this was surprising.

Rio's eyes fluttered close, her expression becoming neutral once again. "Daydreaming, I guess."

The answer was kind of shocking. The driven farmer that always kept herself busy for the purpose of reviving the town or further improving herself was sitting here daydreaming? If he were to think realistically though, he knew that she needed to rest at times too. In truth, he was slightly glad to be able to see this side of her. "Huh? That's unusual. What are you daydreaming about?"

Opening an eye to look at him, Rio answered, "Nothing in particular… just possibilities." Her lips formed a small smile as she commented, "It's quite a useless thing to do. It's better to be thinking about the present, right?"

He could relate to that statement now. Perhaps he might have thought differently in the past –enjoyed entertaining things that could have been—but it was nothing but torment at the moment. His forced smile faded away as his mood became more somber. "Yes… it is."

Dusting off her snow covered overalls, the blonde stood onto her feet. "Well, that's enough daydreaming for one day."

Walking with Rio back towards the village, the male couldn't help but wonder what she had referring to when she said she had been thinking about possibilities. Her career choice? Her relationships? Or maybe her love life?

Rio let out a small yelp as she stepped onto the bridge, a hidden icy patch causing her to slip on the wooden planks. Instinctively, Rod reached out to steady her only to be yanked onto the ground along with the farmer. His surroundings blurred past him and then stilled once they both landed. The pet shop owner couldn't help but groan; almost a year later and this was still the end result of him trying to save her. Perhaps he just wasn't meant to be a hero. Pushing himself off of her, he gazed down at the wincing farmer. "Hey, are you okay?"

Eyes focusing on Rod, Rio nodded. "Sorry for dragging you down… again."

Rod smiled weakly, barely registering her words. Just like that day so many seasons ago, he felt it was difficult to breathe being in such close proximity to her but the feeling was magnified many times more now. He could feel the warmth that radiated from her body, see the flecks of different shades of blue in the irises of her eyes, and hear her soft breaths. It was strange how he could be so close to her but feel so far away at the same time. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, hold her close to him and never let go... but he couldn't do that. He had already lingered over her for far too long. The male shakily backed away and sat near her feet as he waited for her to recollect herself. Belatedly, he responded, "No, it's my fault. If I were stronger or smarter, I would have been able to catch you without falling as well."

Pushing herself into a sitting position, Rio looked sternly at Rod. "You shouldn't say that about yourself. Give yourself more credit, Rod."

She was too kind to him. He wished that she wasn't so perfect because it made moving on so much harder. Even now, his feelings haven't faded a bit. Looking at her sitting across from him, he found himself hoping that they could stay like this –just the two of them—for just a little longer. However, their paths ran in separate directions and the chance for them to be intertwined had passed.

Grabbing the wooden handrail, Rio pulled herself onto her feet and broke the peaceful illusion. The farmer held out a hand to him. "Shall we get going then?"

Rod forced a smile on his face. He should end this dream now –shatter it so that it cannot be recovered. But looking at her hand, he couldn't help but slowly reach forward to grip it. Pushing against the current was hard and he still found himself slipping over smoothed pebbles and floundering as the flow of life shoved him back to his starting point. If only things had been different. "Alright… let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

_He wondered if the new boy was ever lonely. When Rod passed by the redhead, Allen usually was alone. Of course, there were times that he was surrounded by other children but those interactions were brief and Allen didn't appear to be having fun. But if he was ever lonely, the redhead never showed it. Or perhaps he didn't have time to show it since the older child always kept himself busy reading or working on some kind of project. _

_That was the case today. While the other children clambered around the playground, Allen could be found sitting under a tree with a book in his hand. The contrast between the rambunctious activities the majority of children enjoyed and the mature individual before Rod had always made him hesitant to approach the other. It wasn't that Rod was scared of Allen but rather felt that there was a huge gap between them that couldn't be crossed. _

"_Hey, what are you staring at?" Piercing blue eyes rested on Rod, making the blond feel as if he had done something wrong. _

_Drawing his red toy truck closer to his chest, Rod revealed, "You looked lonely."_

_The redhead arched an eyebrow. "And?"_

"_I wanted to play with you."_

_It took a moment for the redhead to respond. Adjusting his glasses, Allen wryly asked, "Really?"_

_Taking this as an invitation, Rod nodded and approached the other boy, his earlier concerns pushed aside. The blond placed the truck on the ground as he plopped down beside Allen, not caring about dirtying his clothes. "I only have one truck but we can share!" With that said, Rod began explaining the mission they were going to go on today. He had no idea how they were going to find the buried treasure but he was sure they would figure things out as they proceeded with the game –that's how things usually worked. Looking eagerly up at Allen once Rod was finished speaking, he found the other looking at him in the same way his parents did when Rod spoke of monsters and aliens. Deflated, Rod waited for Allen to mirror his parents' words and tell Rod that he had an active imagination but he was too busy at the moment to play. _

_Still smiling wryly, Allen asked, "No, really, what do you want?"_

_Rod blinked, surprised at the question and confused at what Allen was asking. Assuming that Allen hadn't heard him properly the first time, Rod repeated, "I want to play with you."_

_Putting his book aside, Allen crossed his arms over his chest and said, "No one wants to just play with me, little buddy. They either have problems they want me to solve or—" _

"_But I just want to play with you," Rod insisted. He couldn't understand why the other was making things out to be more complicated than they should be. _

_Disbelief flickered across the other boy's face. "You don't need to pretend to be my friend. Just tell me what you want." _

_The harsh tone in Allen's voice caused Rod's eyes to water and his determination to waver. It sounded like he had done something wrong in trying to get to know the redhead but he didn't know what. Staring down at the ground, Rod asked, "Do you not want to play with me then?" _

"_H-hey, are you crying?" _

_Rod's cheeks flushed, embarrassed that the other had noticed. "N-no." He stubbornly wiped under his eyes, pretending that he was fine. It took a moment for Rod's tears to cease and when he was done, he continued to avoid the redhead's eyes._

"_Fine, we can play together…"_

_Once again, Rod was surprised by the other boy. Of course, Allen didn't look as enthusiastic as most kids at the prospect of playing a fun game but Rod didn't notice. "Great! You can go first."_

_Raking his fingers through his hair, Allen said quietly, "I haven't played this before. How about I just watch you this time?"_

_Of course, Rod was more than happy to go along with that plan. Truck in hand and scrambling onto his feet, the blond cheered, "Okay! Let's go!"_

* * *

The snow had cleared up by the next day though it wouldn't have changed the fact that Rod had to work if it hadn't. Crouching in the pet pen, Rod dragged a piece of red string across the ground, watching as the grey British Shorthair chased after it.

Though he appeared to be playing with the cat, the pet shop owner's mind was elsewhere. Just like that… Just like that, Rio was able to undo the promise he had made to himself to works towards letting go of her. He could occupy himself and try to forget his feelings but as soon as she approached him, everything bubbled up again. Rod raked his fingers through his hair, not knowing what to do. What else could he do that he hadn't already tried?

"Hey, Rod." Neil's voice caused the pet shop owner to raise his head to look at the animal dealer that set up shop alongside with him at the plaza. Neil was standing behind his stall, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. Because his voice was low, Rod had to focus on Neil to hear what the other was saying. "How did—"

"Rod!" Both males jolted, turning to look at the journalist who was jogging up to the plaza. Her cheeks were tinted pink and her brown hair slightly ruffled.

Rod stood up and climbed over the pet pen to greet the brunette. "What's up, Tina?"

Tina slowed to a stop once she reached Rod, thrusting a lunchbox wrapped in a piece of cloth towards him. "Here. To thank you for the day before."

Rod stared at the gift with wide eyes, surprised at the kind gesture. Rio had been the only other person to ever bring him lunch while he was at work. The gesture struck something within him that made him feel delight and slightly sad as well. Rod smiled widely despite that. "Wow! Really? Thanks, Tina!" It was almost time for lunch so he could take his lunch break. The pet shop owner walked behind his stand and picked up the lunch that he had packed earlier this morning. He noticed that Tina hadn't carried anything else with her and he couldn't eat two lunches –well, he could, but it didn't feel right. "I'll give you my lunch, Tina. Are you okay with omelet rice?" The female nodded.

Turning to look at Neil, Rod asked if he wanted to join them.

"Ugh, why would I want to do that?" Neil asked with a disgruntled expression.

"Because—"

"Just go and eat your lunch."

"It'll be fun."

"Would you just leave me alone?"

Rod frowned but decided not to push him. Unfortunately, there were only benches around the plaza at the moment. A table would have been nice but Rio was busy trying to complete the last part of Dunhill's Town Restoration Plan so fancier amenities were not priorities. Rod started towards a bench not too far behind his stall, plopped down onto it and untied the piece of cloth, finding a spoon and some yam rice in the lunchbox. His eyes widened. "Wow, yam rice? I like this a lot! Thanks, Tina."

The female smiled widely in response. "I would have made you lasagna but I didn't have time."

"This is still good though!" Lasagna was his favorite dish but he still was appreciative that she made him one of his liked dishes. After all, it was the thought that counted. Rod tilted his head, suddenly noticing something. "How do you know what my favorite dishes are?"

The brunette grinned proudly. "What kind of journalist would I be if I couldn't figure out something as simple as your favorite food?"

"I guess that's a good point… I just didn't think my favorite dishes were worth finding out."

Her cheeks reddened. "That type of information can be very useful!"

Rod grinned. He wasn't sure how exactly that information was useful but it made him happy that she took the effort to figure something like that out. "Anyway, let's dig in!" Taking a bite, Rod savored the taste of the yam cubes, dried prawns, and soy sauce mixed in with the fried rice. The dish was very fragrant because of the ingredients and while the taste wasn't exciting and layered with complex flavors and textures, it was a comforting dish. "This is very good!"

"T-thanks."

It took a few more bites for the blond to notice that Tina was really quiet in comparison to the last time they had a meal together. Turning to look at his companion, Rod found his lunchbox still unopened. Her hands gripped the box tightly as she met Rod's curious gaze, her cheeks still tinted pink. "S-so… tomorrow is the Starry Night Festival!" It seemed like she was trying to make the statement sound casual but the nervousness in her voice foiled the attempt. "I was planning on taking some pictures and thought that it would be great if you would join me. If you want, that is."

Rod was taken aback. If a girl had invited him to the festival last year, he would have been ecstatic. Spending the festival alone wasn't all that appealing and that anyone would want his company over the other bachelors would have been really flattering. He still should be delighted at the invitation but taking in the stuttering and blushing female in front of him, the word 'yes' became lodged in his throat.

Rod directed his gaze at his lap. Individuals could attend the Starry Night Festival just as friends but the way Tina was acting reminded Rod of the way he acted around Rio. Having been on the other end, he couldn't accept the invitation when he didn't share her feelings –couldn't let Tina's feelings grow so that it would hurt more later on.

Admittedly, things would be easier for him if he did agree because he could then focus all his thoughts on Tina but that wouldn't be fair for her. He couldn't do that, could he? Rod shook his head, angry at himself for even considering it. Even if his plan to forget Rio was falling apart at its seams, he couldn't do something that would hurt others. "Sorry, Tina. I… uh… can't."

The brunette didn't respond, a heavy silence hanging over the two. Rod clenched the fabric on his pants, wanting to turn his head to see the journalist's reaction but too afraid to look at the same time. Because even if it would hurt more later if he led her to believe he felt things he didn't, the rejection now still hurt. He knew the feeling all too well.

Placing Rod's lunchbox on the bench, she stood up. "I see…" Her voice was detached, not reflecting the emotion Rod was expecting. "I should go." Before Rod could think of anything acceptable to say, the female had already walked off.

The blond scrambled onto his feet. "W-wait, Tina!" Putting the lunchbox down, he ran after his friend. He didn't know what to say once he caught up to her but he couldn't let her leave so upset. In general, he hated it when anyone was upset with him and at this point, would have agreed to go to the festival with her if he thought it would fix things. He caught her wrist, stopping the journalist from going any further. "What can I do?"

He was trying. He was trying his best to do things right so that everyone could be happy. The male was even willing to take the short end of the deals that were shoved at him so that it would work out for those he loved. So why wouldn't things fall into place for him? Why did everything have to be so stupidly difficult?

The brunette pulled her wrist back, freeing it from Rod's hand. In a calm voice, she stated, "I forgot something and really do have to be somewhere." Rod didn't chase after her this time when she started walking away again.

Closing his eyes, Rod pressed the palm of his hand against his face and swept his hand back to rake his fingers through his hair. Was it just because he was incapable or did the world just not like him at all? After a moment, Rod returned to the bench.

One of the advantages of having Neil as a coworker was that he didn't ask questions when embarrassing things happened. Rod had to be thankful for that after finishing lunch and returning to work. Slumped over the countertop of the stall, Rod tried to figure out what was best. At this point, Tina didn't want to see him, yet alone attend the festival with him, so changing his previous answer wasn't the solution.

When the light in front of him dimmed, Rod looked up to find Michelle standing in front of him. He was momentarily caught off guard but recovered quickly with a lackluster greeting. "Hey, Michelle. What are you doing here?"

The female pouted. "Is this how you greet all your customers, Rod?"

Forcing a smile onto his face, Rod reworded his greeting, "How can I help you?"

She silently looked him over for a moment before answering, "I have some new doves and need some feed for them."

Despite not being in a good mood, the topic intrigued him. "Wow, doves are really hard to come by. How did you get them?"

The female merely smiled mysteriously and answered, "I have my ways."

Rod would have spent more time wondering about her answer but had to address the issue of food. "Doves are not common pets so I don't have any dove food in stock. I can try to get some in but… I think a wild bird seed mix will work for now." Digging around beneath the counter, Rod managed to find the bag of seeds he was looking for. "Do you know what species the doves are?"

Michelle drummed her fingers on the countertop. "I think… they are java doves."

"Alright." The pet shop owner didn't recognize the name but made sure to memorize it so that he could do some research later. He really needed to expand his knowledge on birds –or perhaps his knowledge on different pets in general. He had always been aware that he didn't know everything but he believed that his current knowledge could still be applied to animals he wasn't as familiar with. He only began to think otherwise after helping Rio with her chickens at her farm.

After paying for the seed mix, Michelle noted, "You still haven't visited me at the restaurant." There was a slight accusatory undertone in her voice, making Rod feel bad for forgetting. He had been busy lately and while he would have liked to defend himself by saying that there were still a couple weeks of winter left to visit her, he wasn't sure if he would have remembered. Seeing the guilty look on his face, the magician frowned.

"How about I visit you today?" Rod hastily offered.

"But I don't work at the restaurant today." Michelle twirled a lock of pink hair as she wore a thoughtful expression. "I am practicing some new tricks though. Maybe you can give me your opinion?"

"Sure, I can do that!"

Michelle smiled happily. "Alright, be at my house in an hour."

Rod opened his mouth and closed it again. He couldn't make himself protest that he still at least four hours of work left. In the end, he nodded in agreement. He had made her a promise after all, meaning he would have chosen a day to close up early to see her perform anyway. Why not today? He definitely didn't have the concentration to do his job well. With that decided, Rod told Neil that he was closing early and started packing everything up.

Michelle answered her door an hour later, welcoming Rod inside her home. She wasn't smiling like she usually was though Rod couldn't quite figure out why. Like the exterior of the house, pink and white dominated the walls and furniture. The inside of her home was busier than the outside, with various embellishments on the walls and countertops. Like the majority of residential homes in the village, the house consisted of a kitchen area and a bedroom. "Alright, you sit over there." She pointed her baton (or was it a wand?) at a chair placed against the wall on one side of her bedroom. Her tone was straightforward, different from her usual cheerful self. It seemed that he wasn't the only one having a bad day. What could have happened in such a short period of time?

Rod hesitated. "Are you okay, Michelle? If you're not feeling well, I can come another time."

"A great magician doesn't let her mood influence her performance."

The blond smiled, feeling amused because it sounded like something Allen would say. And if she was like Allen, asking her about what was bothering her would just make her unhappier. Rod would have to accept her decision to not reveal her worries for the time being. Sitting down, Rod took in the items in her bedroom. Various props were piled along the far wall –a painting, various boxes with screens and other unusual features, a fox plush toy, a bunch of colorful scarves, silk flowers, and many other objects that Rod had never seen them use. The center of the room was free of clutter except for an elegant body length mirror, which Rod presumed Michelle used to check if her tricks were flawless from the audience's point of view.

Stepping into the center of the room, Michelle spread her arms. "Welcome to Michelle's special magic show." Her aura transformed entirely and whatever she was bothered about earlier showed no sign of ever having been on her mind. Her honey-colored eyes focused on Rod. Smiling slyly, the female said, "Today's show is made just for you, Rod."

Unlike most shows he had watched, where Rod felt like he was glued to his chair as he watched mesmerized, the blond couldn't quite sit still today because of his delight.

"Do you know what the most powerful magic is, Rod?" the female asked as she slid her wand smoothly across the palm of her hand.

The blond took a moment to think about the answer but wasn't familiar at all about different types of magic. He didn't even know where to begin so he responded with a simple, "No."

Michelle's smile widened. Her hand glided gracefully away from the end of her wand, the magician revealed a pink rose blossom. "The answer is love." Seeing Rod's confused expression, Michelle walked towards him, her movements smooth as cat. The ends of the long bow at her back flowed behind her as she moved. "Love can move mountains, blind the wise, give power to the weak, usurp order, give life, bring death, start wars even…"

Rod shivered, feeling on edge at the way the magician spoke of such a precious feeling but he didn't have long to ponder on the thought.

A flick of the wand and the rose was replaced by flames. "Love is delicate. Passionate. Scorching." Her eyes were dark as each word rolled off her tongue. Michelle's other hand grasped the wand and swept upwards towards the hungry flames. "But if the fiery love is handled correctly—" The female let out a yelp, dropping the wand when her hand passed over the fire.

Rod was immediately on his feet, hurrying over to the magician. "Are you alright?"

Michelle gripped her hand, her brows furrowed as she said, "I'm fine…"

Having experience with people that were too proud to admit that they were not fine, Rod insisted on seeing her hand. Sighing, the pink-haired female unfurled her clenched hand to show him unblemished skin. "If I was injured, I wouldn't hold back in front of you."

Rod lifted her hand, examining it in the light and found that it wasn't pink from a burn as he had expected. The blond lifted his gaze from her palm to rest on her face. Michelle wasn't smiling like she had been on stage, her expression looking more natural than usual.

"Now… if you're done holding my hand." The pink-haired female pulled her hand back when Rod's grip slackened.

"It's alright, Michelle. You can fix whatever it is with more practice."

The magician closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. When she opened them again, the female smiled pleasantly. "You're right. But I don't feel like continuing the show…" A short pause followed. "I would feel better if you cooked for me though."

The pet shop owner smiled. "Sure." He didn't see why not. Michelle was unhappy and he wasn't against cooking dinner. Besides, her interpretation of love had made him curious. Rod followed Michelle into the kitchen where the female proceeded to take a seat at the table. As he familiarized himself with the utensils and ingredients available, Rod tried to put his finger on what he found off about her interpretation. While not familiar with love himself, he didn't disagree with her words. No, it was her tone. He had felt a sense of disdain towards love. As Rod prepped the ingredients, he asked, "Have you been in a relationship before?"

"A few."

"Did… they not go well?"

"Obviously."

Her answer was simple and didn't reflect any kind of sadness, which further confused the blond. Even if relationships fell apart because they weren't meant to be, he would still feel sad about it. Rod turned away from the counter to look at his companion. Elbows propped on the table, Michelle lightly rested her head on her palms. "I've had many confess and propose to me since then but I'm better off without them."

Rod frowned, getting the sense that she had given up on finding love. "Was it a bad experience? Being in a romantic relationship, that is?"

The magician shrugged. "Love isn't all sunshine and rainbows but it's not supposed to be all thunderstorms and tornados either. If it was, I wouldn't be stupid enough to stay in that relationship."

Now the blond was even more confused. If her former relationships weren't completely horrible then why was she not keen on love?

"Why are we discussing this anyway?" Her honey-colored eyes were penetrating as they focused on Rod, making the pet shop owner squirm. The corner of her lips quirked upwards. "Are you interested in me?"

Rod flushed. "No, it's not that! I was just wondering why you said the things you did. About love. And not wanting to be in a relationship."

"Which means you're interested in knowing more about me, doesn't it?"

"N-no! I'm just curious about love!"

Michelle giggled. It seemed like she was in a better mood again and though Rod was aware that it was at his expense, he didn't quite mind. The magician smiled, "Experiencing it yourself is the best way to figure it out."

"Yeah… I guess so." The blond sighed, "But that's easier said than done." Michelle probably didn't have any problem in terms of having people willing to date her. But even if a girl were to confess to him, he couldn't accept her at the moment. The blond frowned to himself. Why was he wondering about romantic relationships anyway? Toying with the bag of rice in his hands, Rod turned back around to continue making dinner. He had completely forgotten what he had wanted to talk about with her.

"If you're not busy tomorrow night, do you want to go to the Starry Night Festival with me?"

"Huh?" Her serious tone caught him off guard and Rod had to turn his head to see if Michelle was teasing him or not.

Her smile was cat-like but her eyes were serious as was the question that followed. "What is there to think about?"

Rod opened and shut his mouth. While this invitation was different from Tina's, the blond once again found himself hesitating in accepting the invitation. He didn't have a strong reason to refuse Michelle but he didn't feel ecstatic at being invited either. Biting his lip, Rod admitted, "I… well, I don't know." Seeing Michelle's expression darken, Rod hastily amended his statement. "I mean, I'm very happy that you would ask me but this doesn't feel like a good idea!"

Face flushed, Michelle removed her elbows from the table and stood onto her feet, pushing her chair back. "You know what? Fine! Just leave then."

Rod's eyes widened, seeing that the magician had taken his comment the wrong way. "Mich—"

"I've gone through enough today! Get out!"

"Michelle, wait. I didn't mean it that way!"

The magician pushed against his chest, causing Rod to stumble back. "Do you know how many other people would jump at the chance to go to the festival with me?" Another shove and Rod was forced towards the door. "And your reason is that you don't feel that it's a good idea?!"

Rod had no idea how to respond –had no idea what a good response was to salve the hurt. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened with Tina and hated that he had messed things up again. But as much as he wanted to patch things up and turn things around, there was nothing he could do as Michelle pushed him outside and slammed the door shut.

Shoulders slumping, Rod approached the door and hesitated for a moment. He wanted to leave and escape from the problems that would surely follow if he stayed but because he wasn't particularly close with Michelle, he didn't know when he would see her again and couldn't leave things on this note. Knocking on the door, Rod tentatively called, "Michelle?" Rod rubbed his head and leaned tiredly against the door. "Hey… it's not that I don't like you. I actually think you're pretty cool.

"If you had asked last year, I definitely would have been super happy." Rod frowned as he remembered how he had spent the previous festival completely alone. The memory was distant but even then, Rio was unreachable –perhaps if he had taken a chance and asked her, things would have been different. Or perhaps it wouldn't have changed anything at all. If there was a lesson learned from all that had passed, it would be to not be afraid to put forth his true feelings. "I couldn't accept your invitation because it wouldn't be fair to you."

Rod frowned, wondering if even now, he was still holding too much back. Pushing himself, the blond admitted, "I'm… I'm in love with someone but she is dating another guy. So I can't go to the festival with you, carrying that thought, because you deserve more. "

Furrowing his brow, Rod shifted against the door. "Hey, are you even listening, Michelle?"

The blond was only greeted with silence. Thumping his head against the door, he groaned. He had poured his heart out and Michelle hadn't heard a thing. But with how poorly the day had gone, he should have expected this. Now he felt stupid. He should have at least gotten a reply from the magician before revealing everything to her door.

After another few minutes of silence, Rod decided that he wasn't going to achieve anything by staying outside the magician's home. The male backed up, looking at the house for one last time for signs of Michelle changing her mind before stuffing his hands into his pockets and began to head home. Staring at the ground, Rod kicked a pebble, sending it flying into the snow piled on the side of the path. "What a mess."

He was grateful that his house wasn't far (they both lived on the west side of the village though Rod's home was located in the middle level of the terraced area whereas Michelle's house was on the top level) because all he wanted to do was climb into bed and forget everything that happened today. Chatter emitting from the inn helped distract Rod as he passed. The lively chatter as everyone prepared dinner reminded Rod that no matter what happened, things continued to move on.

To move on without him, that is.

"What is wrong with me?" he muttered, pressing a hand against his face. Stopping by a streetlamp beside the inn, Rod sat down, not caring about his pants getting wet in the snow. He gazed over the ridge on which the inn was built on. Rio's handicraft for the lower half of the area lay before him, each new building showing how much her skills had advanced. If time were a moving ship, it had thrown him overboard long ago and had left him behind without a second thought.

A faraway voice sliced through the peaceful murmur coming from inside the inn. The voice wasn't particularly loud but Rod was able to pick it out amongst the noise because of the person it belonged to.

"Wait, Allen. Please, let's talk about this."

Rod's gaze zeroed in on the path leading into this part of the village, finding Rio chasing after her boyfriend. The conversation sounded like it was a private matter but his curiosity wouldn't allow the blond to leave.

His footsteps slowing, Allen sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, still refusing to face the farmer. "We've discussed this and you didn't listen. What more is there to talk about?"

"I'm sorry, Allen." Rio grasped the fabric of his sleeve. "Please…"

The redhead removed his glasses with his free hand, something the stylist did when he was unhappy but wanted to buy time to think of what to say. "You know of Rod's feelings for you. And I've made my feelings about the matter clear."

Rod felt a shiver crawl up his spine upon realizing that both of them had known.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Rio's voice sounded unfamiliarly weak to Rod's ears. Even the words that conveyed her intentions were frail sticks instead of the solid bricks that usually built her point.

"I hadn't planned on seeing Rod that day and him walking me home… next time… next time, I'll be sure to keep a good distance between us."

Rod bit his lip, his entire body numbing at the words. What?

Allen sighed, finally turning to look at the farmer. He stepped closer to Rio, running his hands through her hair. Rio leaned into his hand like a small puppy enjoying the attention given to her. "You know that it's for the best, right?"

"I do."

The redhead pulled Rio closer to him and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Good girl."

Numbly rising to his feet, Rod quietly backed away. He wasn't sure what to think of the entire thing. All he knew was that it felt like the ground was crumbling underneath his feet and that all that he had believed in was falling apart.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: In explanation of the memory, Allen's green heart line is: "I don't get along well with others, really, so I prefer to be left alone. I'm so smart, though, that as I was growing up people my own age were always coming to me for stuff. Hah!" I don't see Rod as the type to use others and keeping in mind that he's Allen's childhood friend, I figured that this aspect of Rod would be what made the two friends.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

"_What do you do when you can't move forward in life?"_

"_What else is there to do but get up and to move forward?" _

_The blond furrowed his brow, trying to find a deeper meaning in her words. When he found none, he sighed, "That's easier said than done." _

"_Maybe." The farmer twisted the stem of a yellow flower between her fingers. Her eyes were distant as she gazed at the spinning blossom. "But that depends on yourself. If you're not content with it, you'll find a way to move forward… because if you don't, you'll inevitably fade away into nothing." _

_Rod scratched his cheek. "That's… depressing." He felt that it was untrue as well because even if one couldn't move forward in life, they'll still exist. Some might be content with that if they were happy with the status quo. Even if that wasn't the case, their existence still had meaning to those around them. Even those that died didn't cease to exist completely. _

_The flower in her hand stilled. "Yeah, this topic is kind of depressing." Smiling at Rod, Rio asked, "Are things not going well for you? You can always ask me for help." _

_ The clouds parted once again to rain down dazzling light on the peaceful pasture._

* * *

Staring at the wall before him, Rod made no indication that he heard the knock on his door. Legs drawn to his chest, Rod sat in the corner of his room. A female's voice called something but the meaning of the words didn't register in his mind. If he ignored her long enough, perhaps she'll go away.

His door clicked open, flooding the room with bright light and chilly air. Of course his door was unlocked and the person outside would just invite herself in.

"About yesterday…" A pause. "Oh wow, you look like a mess."

Rod raked his fingers through his dishevelled hair and turned to look at the surprised female standing in the doorway. It took a moment for him to formulate a response and even then, it was a rather clumsy one. "M-Michelle…?" She was one of the last people he expected to be visiting him. The blond stared at her, not sure of whether he should ask her to leave or ask her what she was doing here.

The pink-haired female was the first to break the silence. Closing the door behind her, Michelle headed towards Rod's wardrobe and pulled the doors open to rummage through his clothes. Her voice was light and unconcerned as she commented, "This won't work at all."

"H-hey! What are you doing?" Face flushed, Rod scrambled over to Michelle, putting himself between the wardrobe and the magician. "You can't just… Listen, I have private stuff in here!"

"Nothing I haven't seen before," the magician giggled, her hand still clutching a wrinkled pair of dog-patterned underwear. Her cat-like smile was sly and impish, making Rod _not _want to know what she was thinking of or remembering. "Oh, but I shouldn't have told you that."

"That still doesn't make me any more comfortable," he protested hotly as he lunged for the article of clothing in Michelle's hand. Rod couldn't understand how Michelle acted like it was nothing while holding onto a pair of his underwear. His blush darkened a few shades more. After stuffing his underwear back where it belonged, Rod turned to look warily at the pink-haired female. "Why are you here?"

Her lips twitched in amusement as she looked at Rod. Twirling a lock of hair around a finger, Michelle answered, "We're going to the festival. I'm giving you another chance so you better not mess up this time."

Once again, her response caught him off guard. Rod bit down on his tongue, afraid of saying the wrong thing again. He realized that he couldn't remain silent either. Searching the female's eyes, Rod decided that she looked a lot calmer today and likely more willing to talk things out with him. Rubbing the back of his neck, Rod protested, "But…"

Leaning forward, Michelle reached up and flicked the blond's forehead with a finger. "Listen, you need to move on." Her voice was firm and unsympathetic, not something one would expect from the cherry magician. "Not mope around in your house for the rest of your life."

Rod rubbed his forehead. The flick didn't hurt but it did catch him by surprise. "I wasn't planning on doing that," he argued, trying hard to not let the injustice of her words sting. He wasn't asking for that much when he wanted some time alone from everyone. And as much as he would have liked to avoid the issue forever, he knew it wasn't plausible. "Besides, that's not the only problem." Rod averted his gaze, unsure of how to address the issue on his mind. His eyes flickered back to her when Michelle made an unladylike noise.

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend either so you don't need to be worried about being unfair to me." Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Michelle turned around to head towards the kitchen and pulled out a chair to sit down on. She elegantly crossed her legs and smiled sweetly up at the blond. "Are there anymore objections?"

Rod floundered for a moment before realizing something. "Wait, you heard me yesterday?"

"Yes, so are you going to get ready for the festival or not?" Her smile remained sugary sweet but Rod sensed that if he answered in the negative, things would quickly explode in his face.

And with the arguments Michelle had presented him, Rod couldn't do anything else but agree. Understandably, he wasn't in the spirit to enjoy the festival but perhaps this was what he needed. "Yeah… I mean, yes, I would like to go with you."

Smiling, the female pushed up off the chair. "Pick me up after dinner then. Oh, and you better wear something nice." Without waiting for an answer, she headed towards the door and exited, leaving Rod in a different mood than when she had first entered.

Once night had settled, Rod found himself walking with Michelle along the dark path that winded through the river area. The magician had let her hair down and left her mini top hat behind, giving the female a more mature appearance. Adorned in a fluid red dress with an intricate belt around her waist and high heeled boots, Rod had asked about the practicality of her ensemble only to have Michelle ask if he could have done better with his outfit consisting of dark washed jeans, a nice shirt, and a jacket which easily made Rod drop the subject.

The river area was unusually quiet –perhaps because all the humans coming through had scared off the wildlife— but the silence wasn't as unnerving as Rod expected it to be because he was focused on not tripping over rocks and branches. Visibility was poor at best even with the glow from the stars and moon shining above them. Hands stuffed into his pockets, the male nimbly hopped over the debris as he made his way across the area.

The sound of the river melted into the background as they approached the base of the summit and the sound of the roaring waterfall filled the air. It looked like many of the villagers had already arrived: Amir and Iroha were standing below the cliff by the waterfall, Tina was heading up the mountain with her camera in hand, and Sanjay and Felicity were examining something in the shrubbery to their left.

"Hey, Michelle..." The blond trailed off when he turned his head to find that she was no longer beside him. Turning around fully, he found the magician slowly making her way towards him, heeled boots unsure on the snowy ground. The male guiltily returned to her side; leaving his hiking companions behind seemed to be a reoccurring thing for him. "Do you need help?"

Smiling sweetly, the female linked arms with him while quietly murmuring, "I know we're only attending this festival as friends but could you be a little more considerate?"

Rod scratched his cheek with his free hand. "Sorry, I'll try to keep that in mind." Or rather, he had no choice but to keep it in mind with Michelle holding onto him –he wasn't going anywhere now. Rod shifted his weight to adjust for Michelle leaning on him as they walked. Her shoes were likely bothering her even though Michelle made no indication that that was the case.

"Let's stay down here," Michelle decided. The magician pointed to a spot on the river far enough from the waterfall that they wouldn't be soaked in the spray. It was chilly enough without being doused by cold water. "We can sit on the fishing dock and admire the stars from there."

"Sure," Rod easily agreed. It was untraditional but he didn't think hiking up the mountain with her was the best idea. The view wasn't too bad down here either. The dark ridges towering above them framed the night sky, creating a contrast between the dark shadows of the mountain and the winking lights scattered above. It was a testament of how big and beautiful the universe was. For the first time in weeks, Rod allowed himself to relax. "Hey, Michelle! Look! There are so many stars!"

The female hummed in agreement.

"It's enough to forget about how cold it is. Don't you think so, Michelle?"

"Almost."

She was grinning wryly at him, her thoughts of him being childish almost tangible. Pushing his hands deeper into his jacket pockets, Rod smiled, "Well, I don't feel cold at all right now."

"I wish I could say the same."

Paying closer attention to the female, he noticed that she did look cold. "Hey, your lips are shaking. Here, Michelle. My hands are warm so I'll warm your cheeks up." Removing his hands from his pockets, Rod pressed his palms against her cheeks. It must have worked because Michelle's face instantly felt warmer under his hands. "See? Aren't they warm? I'm glad I kept my hands in my pocket the whole way here."

"R-Rod!" the magician squeaked in surprise.

"Are you feeling warmer now?" the blond grinned.

She stared silently at him for a moment before suggesting, "How about you just give me your jacket?"

Rod grinned. "Yeah, I guess that's a better idea." Removing his hands, Rod shrugged off the blue jacket and helped Michelle put it on. The jacket hung loosely on her, hiding her hands and covering her fancy outfit, but she didn't seem to mind at this point.

"Should we go home then?" They had seen the stars and could say that they attended the festival this year. Rod wouldn't have minded staying longer but the event was rather uneventful and both he and Michelle were going to catch a cold if they stayed out any longer.

"We'll call it a night." Turning around, Michelle stepped off the dock.

His companion was quiet as Rod walked her back to the. He didn't have much trouble filling the silence with talk about food that would have been nice to bring to the festival though Michelle didn't contribute anything on the matter.

Stopping outside Michelle's home, she turned around with a smile on her face, her demeanor completely changed. "Aren't you glad you decided to go to the festival with me?"

"Yeah… it was fun." It didn't solve his problem but it helped Rod take his mind off his troubles for a bit. That he didn't need to hide his emotions from her was also a relief. Even though they hadn't known each other for long, he felt that she would be a good person to rely on. His smile was relaxed as he said, "Thanks, Michelle."

Her catlike smile widened. "Good. Let's hang out again."

"That'll be great."

* * *

Rod allowed Baron to lead the way today, barely registering where he was walking as he followed his pet. He was drowning in his thoughts. Questions that he was too afraid to ask and ponder a couple days earlier had to be addressed because they refused to allow his mind respite. And with each thought that crossed his mind, he felt a small part inside him collapse into itself.

_Rio had known._

_Allen had known. _

What was he even supposed to feel? He figured that it should be relief that he no longer had to pretend to not feel the way he did and relief that Allen hadn't bitten his head off for that. However, that wasn't the case at all. What he was feeling was stinging betrayal caused by both his friends.

She had been intentionally avoiding him. It should have been obvious when he barely saw her after she started dating Allen. Was this how little their friendship meant to her? And Allen was encouraging it –no, demanding it. The two people he admired the most, treating him like this. Rod bit down on his lip, hurt that his friends thought so little of him. That was what it all boiled down to, wasn't it? They were both good people but they didn't have faith in him and thus had to use such tactics.

As Baron investigated a tree stump on the east side of the river area, Rod sat on a nearby log and watched the pug sniff about. Was he really incapable of discussing such issues with them as an adult?

Allen knew him better than anyone else in this village. Rod felt pathetic because it spoke volumes that even his childhood friend didn't have faith in his abilities.

"Hehe, so what did you want to talk to me about, Allen?" The female's voice was carried clearly in the crisp winter air, surprising the blond. He raised his head, not finding its owner nearby. Upon further inspection, he spotted two familiar figures across the river. Though he couldn't see Allen's expression in the side view available to him, he could tell that the stylist was unhappy because his arms were crossed over his chest.

"What do you want with Rod?" His voice was smooth as always, giving the impression that he was asking the question out of curiosity. However, knowing Allen, if he were to arrange a meeting with someone, his questions were bound to have a greater purpose.

The pink-haired woman thoughtfully tapped her chin. "Hm? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you really selling that to _me_?" Allen pushed up his glasses with a finger as he took a long look at Michelle. "Rod has no wealth or power. He lacks self-confidence. He looks and acts like a child. In summation, he has no attributes that you desire in a man."

It was jarring how Allen was able to say something like that so flowingly while putting emphasis on specific words that stabbed at Rod. The words rang chaotically in the eavesdropping blond's ears, tearing him apart.

"Wow, you're so harsh on your best friend. I feel bad for him."

"I'm only stating the truth."

Neither spoke for a brief moment. Twirling a lock of hair around a finger, Michelle finally asked, "Why can't I like him for his personality?"

"You're wasting my time dancing around the subject." Allen uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to Michelle. He was a head taller than the female, but the magician didn't step back or avert her gaze as the stylist looked down at her. "If you tell me what you want and leave Rod alone, I might even help you."

Smirking, the magician leaned towards Allen so that her lips were near his ear. She didn't lower her voice when she spoke though. "Interesting proposal but all I want is Rod."

"I know that that isn't the case." The rest of his words were too low for Rod to hear and Michelle didn't say anything in response to hint towards what was said.

The tense silence was broken by Baron's bark as he finally noticed his second favorite person after Rod. Forced to follow after the dog, the pet shop owner was dragged across the bridge towards the surprised pair. Rod wasn't sure what to say as he looked at Allen with a wounded expression.

"You didn't… you didn't mean that, did you Allen?" The blond gave his friend a weak smile. Even though he asked that, he knew what the answer was. Allen's intent behind the conversation with Michelle was easy enough to see. Even if his words were true, how could his best friend say such things about him to a girl he was becoming friends with? Grip tightening on the leash in his hands, Rod continued, "We're friends, right?"

Pressing his fingers against his temple, Allen said, "I'm doing this because we're friends."

"But with friends like that, who needs enemies?" the magician interjected.

Rod bit down on his lip and gazed down at his feet. No, this wasn't what friends did. How could Allen make such a claim? His chest was heavy and his mind bubbled with thoughts and emotions that he wanted to hold back.

"You're not siding with _her_, are you?" Allen asked, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Unable to bear the redhead's tone, Rod couldn't help but snap back. "Am I supposed to side with the one who's attacking me then?" He raised his head, bright blue eyes swimming with fury. "She's been defending me all this time when you're the one who's supposed to be my best friend, Allen!"

The stylist looked slightly taken aback. Eyes hardening, Allen countered, "You don't know what you're talking about."

The belittlement did nothing to calm the blond down. "And what if I don't? Are you supposed to know what is best for me?"

"I obviously have to since you don't take the time to think about it yourself."

"So you were obviously looking out for me when you decided to date Rio even though you knew about my feelings for her!"

Based on the surprised expression on Allen's face, the stylist didn't know that Rod had found out. His silence strengthened the negative feelings in the blond's mind. Laughing, he wiped at his tears. He had been so naïve. Hastening to wipe his wet hands on his pants, Rod bent down to pick up his whining dog.

"Forget it." Allen's act was getting tiring. He didn't want to hear any more lies from the other. Carrying his worried pet, Rod left to go home, his footsteps heavy and heart shattered. Baron twisted his head to look up at his owner with concerned eyes. The blond turned his head away, hating how it seemed that all he could do was cry and run nowadays.

"Here." A pink handkerchief with lace trim was shoved into his line of vision. When Rod made no movement to accept it, the magician said, "You did well."

Rod shook his head and continued to hold back his tears. It wasn't that he did well. He had merely seen that there was no other choice. Having discovered the true nature of their relationship, how could he allow things to stay unchanged? Their relationship wouldn't have remained the same even if he wished for it. Like someone had once told him, there was nothing to do but move forward… even if he walked that path as a shattered individual.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I apologize for taking this long to update. I wanted to update once a week but it's proving to be difficult. With that said, I do regret not having a more detailed outline of the story set out before writing this. But at least I know what doesn't work for me now.


End file.
